


Careful You

by ApolloLoki97



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Greene Farm, I just love this trope so much, Jealous Daryl Dixon, Reader Insert, Shane Being an Asshole, Shane is an Asshole, season one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:47:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25410370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApolloLoki97/pseuds/ApolloLoki97
Summary: You and Shane had been together since before the Turn. When you meet Daryl Dixon, however, you start to notice the way he looks at you. Over time, Shane becomes more hostile towards you and the group and it only pushes you further towards Daryl. One day, Daryl finally loses it and tells you how he feels.---Or when you are stuck between Shane and Daryl at the beginning of the Apocalypse.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Reader, Daryl Dixon/You, Shane Walsh/Reader, Shane Walsh/You
Comments: 9
Kudos: 137





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ’m sorry if ya like Shane but hes an asshole in this at times. It jumps around a bit from the quarry to the cdc to the highway to the greene farm. The real emotional stuff is in part two so I hope yall like this.

You began to notice a change in Shane when Rick Grimes was reunited with his family. 

Before the world turned, you, Shane, Rick, and Lori were the best of friends. It was always double dates after work and the four of you planning Carl’s birthday parties. It was Rick and Lori and Shane and you, no matter what. Shane Walsh wasn’t an easy man to love, but love him, you did. 

The first time you saw him it was at a bar in downtown Atlanta. Rick and Shane were out in the city for a weekend to celebrate some kind of achievement they got from the Academy. You had noticed his dark hair and dashing smile from across the room and as soon as your eyes met, you were done. Shane Walsh became your person and you never thought anything would get in between the two of you. And nothing did…until the end of the world.

You weren’t an idiot, you knew about Shane and Lori. Hell, you probably knew about his attraction to her before she did. You ignored it the best you could before the world ended, but now it was hard to ignore the fact that your boyfriend, the man you loved, was in love with another woman.

A married woman. 

Then when Rick stepped out of that truck and Carl ran from Lori’s arms, the ground rocked beneath your feet. When you had hugged him once his family had let go, it was more than relief that cascaded over you, it was gratitude. With Rick back, there wouldn’t be time for Shane to gawk at his best friend’s girl, let alone sneak off into the woods with her. Hopefully, things would start to go back to normal. 

However, whenever Lori was alone, Shane was still there. He would be watching her, looking out for Carl, and he’d do it right in front of Rick. Rick didn’t seem to notice and if he did, he ignored it and acted as if everything was the way it once was. It pissed you off to see him act so naive, but you figured he didn’t want to start anything. The last thing any of you needed was in-fighting within the group. 

However, it didn’t take long for said in-fighting to start. Especially once Daryl Dixon came back from his hunt. You had met both of the Dixon brothers the day they arrived at the camp. Merle was an asshole and immediately began hitting on you. Shane had shut that down within a few seconds, making sure the older Dixon knew that you were his girl and to keep his paws and his mouth to himself. It was one of the only times Shane had claimed you in front of the group. 

As for Daryl, you weren’t sure about where his head was at. He followed his brother closely and you figured he had been doing so his entire life. Daryl was his brother’s opposite. While he still had a mouth on him when he did happen to speak up, he didn’t purposefully inject himself into conversations or make lewd remarks at the women in the camp. He kept his head down and his crossbow up when it was warranted. He was also great at hunting and had taken the job of getting food for the group.

Carl had once told you that he thought Daryl was “cool”, but that he kind of scared him. You had laughed and assured the kid, whom you considered a nephew, not to worry. Dixon may be a bit rough around the edges, but he was harmless. Though you made sure to tell him to steer clear of Merle and Carl didn’t argue about that.

The other thing you noticed about Daryl was that he always seemed to know where you were. You had noticed him watching you in the camp. At first, it was simple glances here and there and then his eyes started to linger more and more. You considered telling him not to due to how Shane normally reacted whenever another man looked at you, but whenever you turned to look at your boyfriend, his eyes would be on Lori and you would give up and go talk to Andrea or Amy to pass the time. 

You had only spoken to Daryl a couple of times. Once when you had run into him as he walked back to camp carrying rabbits on a line. You heard a rustle in the trees and pulled your weapon, a police-issued pistol Shane had given you after the Turn. Daryl froze as the barrel became trained on him. You dropped it immediately. “Shit, sorry,” you had said. 

“Careful where ya point that thing, girl,” Daryl had scoffed. “Don’t need my damn head blown off cause ya trigger happy.” You had rolled your eyes and holstered your gun. 

“Such a charmer, Dixon,” you told him and left him with his fresh kill. That night after your run-in in the woods was when he first started watching you. The other times you had spoken to him were just in passing and it was always when both Merle and Shane weren’t there. It seemed like your friendship, if you could call it that, was only acknowledged when the alpha males in both of your lives took a hike. And while it bothered you, you accepted it. It’s just the way the world was now. 

On the day that Rick told you all that they had left Merle in Atlanta, you knew Daryl was going to be pissed and he definitely was. You watched from the doorway to the RV as Daryl yelled at Rick. The emotion was clear on his face as he thought about his brother being chained to the roof like an animal as he waited to be eaten by Walkers. 

When Daryl had thrown a punch and Shane placed him in the chokehold, that is when you stepped in. You shoved Rick back and knocked Shane’s feet from under him. Daryl and Shane went down hard on the ground and Daryl shoved out of Walsh’s arms. “Stop it!” you yelled, getting between the men. “None of this alpha-male bullshit is helping anyone. Rick,” you said, looking at him, “you screwed up. Merle screwed up. It was bound to happen at some point! So instead of acting like idiots, _do something_.” You then turned and offered your hand to Daryl who took it and you helped him to his feet.

“Don’t need yer sympathy, girl,” he shot at you. “Don’t need ya fightin’ my battles either. I can handle yer damn boyfriend.” 

You watched as Daryl stormed off and without thinking, you followed him, ignoring Shane’s calls. You found him as he exited his tent on the edge of the camp. He was throwing things into a backpack and gathering up his bolts for his bow. “Daryl,” you said. He looked up at you and scoffed. 

“Never said you couldn’t,” you said. “Shane is a hothead and yeah, Rick can be an asshole, but they mean well.”

“Yer friend Rick left my brother to die!” he yelled, pointing over your shoulder. 

“I know,” you said, trying to calm him down, but Daryl marched up to you, getting in your face and looking you over.

“You know nothin’,” he snarled in a low voice before pushing past you, knocking into your shoulder. You pushed your hands into your hair as you took a deep breath. 

“(Y/N)!” you turned to see Shane walking towards you. 

“What now?” you asked, not wanting to start another argument. 

“You need to stay away from Dixon,” he said, crossing his arms. 

“Don’t loop me in with him,” Shane said with a touch of disgust. You rolled your eyes. “What?”

“Excuse me?” you asked, mirroring his stance. “I don’t need to _do_ anything, Walsh,” you said. “He’s pissed about Merle. What if it was me or Rick that was left on that rooftop? You’d be pretty pissed too.”

“I’m just sick of people acting like there aren’t worse problems out there than a few petty arguments or having to be with people you don’t like.” You relaxed your arms and reached for his hands and he let you. You squeezed Shane’s hands tight in your own, looking into his eyes. “Shane, there are monsters walking around and we need to start thinking about how to protect our people from them. How to protect the kids like Carl and Sophia.” 

“What do you think I’ve been doin’?” he asked, his voice softer. “That’s all I’ve been tryin’ to do, (Y/N).” 

“I know, but sometimes you try to take on too much by yourself. Let others take some of the weight, okay? I’m here and now so is Rick. You have Dale and Glenn who are always willin’ to help. Lori, too. Stop trying to be Superman.” Shane looked at you for a moment before he nodded. He then tugged you forward and kissed you firmly. When he pulled away, he leaned his forehead on yours. 

“Rick is gonna take Daryl back, go look for Merle,” Shane said quietly.

“Are you goin’ with?” you asked. 

“No, I’m stayin’ here to protect the camp,” he then leaned back and looked at you with a fierce look in his eyes. “And so are you.” You knew there was no point in arguing so with a sigh you nodded. He pressed another kiss to your lips before leaving you alone. As Shane walked away, you caught Daryl watching you from where he stood next to Glenn. You couldn’t read his expression, but there was an intensity to it that had you turning away from him. 

However, there was a feeling that his eyes remained fixed on you even as you headed into the tent you shared with Shane. 

* * *

Of course, it wasn’t long until things got worse. 

While Daryl, Glenn, Rick, and the others were out looking for Merle, Shane was following Lori around like a lost dog while you distracted Carl, trying to keep his mind off his father leaving again. When you had first met the smallest Grimes, he took to you immediately. You weren’t just Uncle Shane’s girlfriend, Carl considered you family as well. 

It was Carl who you were sitting with when the Walkers entered the camp. You heard the screams of panic first and you moved. Grabbing Carl by his collar, you pushed him behind you as you watched Andrea’s sister, Amy, get taken down by a Walker. Carl clutched the back of your jacket as you pulled your own weapon, taking aim at the monsters that converged on the quarry. 

Shane was there in a second and he took out all the Walkers that surrounded the RV. He then pushed all the kids towards the vehicle, locking them inside as the rest of you aimed at the Dead. Only a moment later, shots were coming from another direction. Rick and the others came through the woods, their guns blazing. Their sudden appearance caused you to miss the Walker stumbling towards you. You raised your gun as it grabbed your shoulder, but a bolt flew past your ear and struck the Walker that clung to you. Daryl ran past you, giving you a once over before taking aim again. 

Snapping out of your shock, you finished off the rest of the Walkers that feasted on your new comrades. A cry pulled your attention as you saw Carol staring at her now-dead husband. You had no remorse for Ed, he wasn’t a good man at all, but the heartbreak on both Carol and Sophia’s faces made you pause.

Once the Walkers were down and people had calmed down, you searched for Shane. You found him by the RV, moving the kids out and away from the body that lay before it. You didn’t need to look closer to know it was Amy. You turned away, looking for Carl and felt relief when you saw him with his parents as the three of them embraced. Looking back over your shoulder you saw Shane and how he watched the Grimes family. The envy in his eyes made you uneasy. He looked at the man he considered his brother as a rival now even though Lori was never his, to begin with. Again, you shoved down your feelings and went to help move the bodies out of the camp. 

It was morning by the time everyone had sorted between the Dead. Two piles. One for friends to be buried and the other full of Walkers that were to be burned. You didn’t see the point in either practice. You knew that if you walked down the hill and onto the roads, bodies were strewn everywhere. It had simply become the new normal. However, you knew it was their way of trying to find some normalcy in the new screwed up world, but you couldn’t see it the way they could. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Andrea as she knelt over Amy’s body. You knew that she would turn any time now. It was already happening and it made you sick to think about someone you knew becoming one of those things. It was all just a bit too much at that moment. 

You excused yourself and headed to the far side of the camp, settling down on a log, leaning your forearms on your knees. You took a few deep breaths and tried to focus on anything that wasn’t the memory of the screams of people being torn apart. The log shifted as someone took a spot next to you. You figured it was Shane so you ignored him. However, when you spotted the crossbow on the ground between their feet, you relaxed and turned to look at Daryl. 

“Thanks for last night,” you said, breaking the silence. He grunted a response that you had become accustomed to. “What happened?” you asked, not needing to elaborate further. Everyone noticed that only one Dixon brother came back. 

“He’s gone,” Daryl muttered, “cut his own damn hand off to get out of the cuffs.” Your brows shot up at that, but you weren’t that surprised. It sounded like something Merle Dixon would do. 

“I’m sorry,” you told him, turning your face back towards the camp as Glenn dragged more bodies through the camp. 

“What she waitin’ for?” Daryl asked as he looked at Andrea. 

“People cope differently,” you said. “Maybe she just needs to see it for herself.”

“Don’t make sense,” he mumbled. 

“I don’t get it either,” you sighed, “Dead is dead. Whatever this is…” you waved your hand vaguely at the Walker corpses, “They just need to be put down. Amy doesn’t deserve to become a monster.”

“I could probably hit her from here,” Daryl said, toeing his bow, but you shook your head. 

“She nearly ripped Rick’s head off when he mentioned putting her down. We don’t need any more damn fighting,” you said with a warning tone. Daryl nodded and then was silent for a bit. 

“I agree with ya, ya know?” Daryl said after a minute. 

“About what?” you asked. 

“Nobody deserves to be a Walker,” he clarified. “I wouldn’t want someone to wait, ya know?” 

“I do,” you said, understanding. “Make me a deal, Dixon. If I get bit, you shoot me right away. Don’t let me turn,” you said, offering your hand. Daryl looked at you and then took your hand in his, gripping it tightly. 

“Only if ya return the favor,” he said and you nodded. You shook hands and then let go, feeling Shane’s eyes on you. “Yer boy keeps starin’,” Daryl said. 

“Yeah,” you said before you stood up, brushing off your jeans. “I’m holdin’ you to that promise.” He nodded to you again and you left him alone to his thoughts.

* * *

When Rick and Shane decided to go to the CDC, you were less than thrilled. 

The last thing you wanted was to go back into the city. Considering the things you saw there the last time you were there, it wasn’t the most desirable plan. However, you knew that you were outnumbered, and with Jim trying to fight the infection, you went along with it.

Everyone knew that Jim wasn’t long for the world. The fever took him fast and you knew there wasn’t a cure. If there was one, every street in Atlanta wouldn’t be crawling with Walkers and littered with half-eaten bodies. Again, you also knew that it was all about optimism and Rick felt that this was the right choice. 

Sitting in the RV, you leaned against Shane. He kept his arm wrapped around you and rubbed your arm and down the side of your thigh. It was nice to just sit with him for once instead of feeling the distance that had began to deepen between the two of you. Shane rested his head on your shoulder, kissing the place your neck met your shoulder and you sighed, resting your head against his chest. Carl was making kissing faces at the both of you and you stuck your tongue at him causing him to laugh. 

“You trying to steal my girl, Grimes?” Shane teased the kid.

“(Y/N) likes me better!” Carl joked causing Shane to chuckle. He gripped you tighter, wrapping his arms around your waist. 

“Easy gentlemen,” you said with a smile. “I think we both know that Lori and I are the true soulmates.” Lori laughed at that. 

“I’ll take that,” she laughed.

It was an easy ride from there on until Jim got worse. You all went from laughing and joking to feeling somber as Daryl, Rick, and Shane helped Jim off the road and under a tree. When they tried to hand him a weapon, Jim shook his head. Rick and Shane left him, giving him a final goodbye, but Daryl stalled, looking down at his bow and the dying man. He then turned and started to walk back to the truck. You stepped in his path, a pleading look in your eyes. He shook his head. 

“It’s his choice, (Y/N),” Daryl said, knowing what you wanted to say. Daryl pushed past you as Jim closed his eyes. You fought the urge to yell as you made your way back into the RV. Instead of sitting back down with Shane, you went to the back and laid down, trying to drown out everything around you. You fell asleep as the RV rumbled beneath you, getting some decent rest for the first time in weeks. 

Shane lightly shook you awake when the caravan finally came to a stop. The look on his face made you sit up quickly. “What is it?” you asked. 

“Just…prepare yourself,” he said and offered his hand. You took it and he led you out of the RV. The smell was what hit you first and then you saw the source. Bodies were everywhere. Lori and Carol kept their arms around their children as your group moved through the rotting corpses. Daryl and Rick headed up the group while you and Shane took the rear, all of your weapons ready to fire if needed. 

“I don’t like this,” you whispered to Shane as you stepped over another body. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep ya safe, (Y/L/N),” he joked, poking you in the ribs. 

“It’s not funny, Shane,” you chastised. “I don’t like being out in the open like this. We’re vulnerable, especially with the kids.” 

“Everything is gonna be fine,” Shane assured you. He winked at you and you pushed ahead of him as you started to hear groans and shuffling of the Dead as they noticed you moving towards the shuttered building. Daryl began taking them out while Rick yelled at the cameras. Lori urged her husband to leave it. Rick continued to yell, begging that whoever was inside to open the doors because they had children and they were desperate. You wanted to yell at him to shut up as more Walkers kept coming out of the shadows. 

You stumble over a corpse, nearly going down when Carol caught your arm and pulled you back up. Daryl stepped in front of you then, covering you, Carol, and Sophia. Rick was still yelling and that was when Shane started too. He called to Rick, trying to get him to retreat, but before any of you could make your way back to the cars, the metal shudders slid open with blinding lights. You gawked at the sight and then you felt hands tugging you along as Shane gripped your wrist and pulled you through the mess of dead bodies and into the safety of the CDC.

* * *

Doctor Jenner was an odd one and you didn’t trust him. 

Glenn, however, was thrilled at the promise of hot water, and then when the wine was cracked open, everybody loved Jenner. Even Daryl had a smile on his face as he drank wine and laughed with the others, his Georgian accent getting thicker with every sip. Shane drank deeply as he sat at the table next to you, his hand gripping your leg under the table. Your glass remained full as you occasionally swirled it in your hand. You figured someone had to be sober when eventually everything went to shit. 

Daryl filled up Glenn’s glass again as T-Dog went for thirds. And while you were worried about things and just trying to stay calm, it was nice to see your friends and family laughing for the first time in weeks. You offered Shane the rest of your wine and he drank greedily. “Thanks, babe,” he said, kissing you. You could taste the alcohol on his lips as he kissed you and leaned his head against yours. He downed the rest of the wine and you caught Daryl looking at you. When your eyes met his, he quickly looked away and took a long pull from the bottle in his hands. The whole back and forth was starting to get tiring.

Eventually, it was time for some much-needed sleep. It would be the next morning when Jenner started explaining everything so you all headed to your new beds for the night. You and Shane pushed into a vacant room, pulling off your boots. Laying in bed, you stretched out, enjoying the feel of a proper mattress under you for the first time since the world ended. Shane stumbled over to the bed, dropping down beside you. He rolled over and braced his elbows on either side of you. He leaned down to kiss you as his hands ran up your sides, but you pushed him back. 

“You’re drunk, Shane,” you said, pushing against his chest. He looked down at you with a frown. 

“(Y/N)…,” he whined, kissing down your neck. 

“Shane, stop,” you said, taking his shoulders and pushing him again. This time he relented and flipped back over. He sighed as his eyes pressed closed. His hand found yours, playing with your fingers.

“I love you…” he said, looking over at you with heavy eyes. 

“I love you, too, idiot,” you said. Shane huffed and sat up. “Where are you going?” you asked as you watched him stagger towards the door. 

“Gonna walk it off,” Shane mumbled. “See if Rick is still up.” Shane stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him. You flopped back down to the mattress and then eyed the bathroom on the other side of the room. You figured you wouldn’t get another chance to have hot water in a while so you headed for a much-needed shower.

As soon as the hot water hit your body, you felt as if you were transported back in time. You stayed under the spray as long as possible, relishing in the feel of finally being clean after living in the woods for so long. You scrubbed your hair until it slipped through your fingers, free of tangles. Once you had your fill of the luxury the CDC had to offer, you shut the water off and grabbed a fluffy towel, wrapping it around your body. 

After getting dressed and combing your fingers through your hair, you figured you should go find your boyfriend before he passed out in some lab or something. The halls of the residences were quiet as you moved through them, peeking around corners as you searched for Shane. When you turned again, you nearly ran into someone. They steadied you with their hands, grabbing onto your shoulders. Looking up, you saw that it was Daryl. 

“Ya showered,” he said. You nodded slowly, trying not to laugh at his surprised expression. You then noticed the fine layer of dirty still adorning his skin. 

“Yeah, you should try it, mountain man,” you teased, flicking a piece of dirt off his shirt. He scoffed at your words. He then realized he was still holding onto you and awkwardly let go. “Hey, have you seen Shane? He’s not exactly lucid right now and I don’t wanna find him passed out in a supply closet.” Daryl’s jaw went rigid at your words. 

“Ya, saw him followin’ Grimes,” he said, looking away from you. 

“Rick?” 

“Nah,” Daryl grunted, moving past you, “Lori.” 

* * *

You didn’t bother to look for Shane after your run-in with Daryl. You went back to your room and tried to get some sleep. This time you did feel like an idiot. As if Shane would really leave her alone just because Rick was back. You stared at the ceiling, trying to stop your mind from creating scenarios about Lori and Shane in your head.

An hour or so later and the door opened. Shane glided into the room, clearly not as drunk as he had been. He pulled off his shoes and sank onto the mattress beside you. He rolled into your side, throwing an arm across your waist, his fingers playing with the fabric of your shirt. “I’m sorry about before,” he said, “you know I’m an ass when I drink.” You did know that which is why you had remained sober.

“It’s fine,” you said, which is what you always said when he apologized when he was being an asshole. His hand stilled on your stomach as his breathing slowed and he slowly fell asleep. A small amount of light entered the room from a crack in the door and as you looked down at your boyfriend you could see fresh scratch marks on his neck. You didn’t have to think too hard about whose nails had made them. 

Your hand came up and carded through Shane’s hair. In his sleep, he nuzzled you closer and you had to fight the tears that welled up. You could do this, you could be there for him when he needed it because that is what you had always done for him. The end of the world didn’t need to change that. Right?

* * *

The next day everything went from bad to worse. 

Watching the MRI on the large monitor was horrifying. Even Shane was disturbed. As you all watched the patient reanimate, Shane had reached over and gripped your hand. The two of you hadn’t said anything about the previous night. At breakfast, he had played off the scratches as a drunken accident, but you noted the look in Lori’s face and you noticed that Daryl and even Carol were looking at her and Shane with accusatory glances.

When Jenner invited you all into the main theater for the explanation, hope was upon everyone’s faces as they urged the doctor to tell them about a cure. However, just as you suspected, there wasn’t one. Jenner explained that he was the only one left. He worked as hard as he could, but eventually there was no point. 

Then, as soon as everybody started to realize what was happening, it was nearly too late. 

The blaring red countdown clock was staring you all in the face as the CDC went into full lockdown. Sophia and Carl were stressed and Daryl was pissed. Rick and the others had to restrain the archer as he nearly decapitated Jenner with a fire ax. You, yourself, wanted to attack the man as well. You also wanted to beat Rick to a pulp for getting you into this mess in the first place. 

Eventually, Rick convinced Jenner to let you out, but Andrea, Dale, and Jacqui were staying behind to succumb to the implosion. You rushed after the others towards the lobby. Shane pulled you along, nearly carrying you as you sped through the halls. With the metal shudders lifted, you could see the bodies of the dead even clearer in the sunlight now through the large windows. While you weren’t thrilled about going back into the world of the Dead, it was better than being incinerated.

You knew you were in trouble when the glass wouldn’t break. When Carol had produced the grenade, you could have kissed her. Rick set the charge and you all hit the deck. When the blast went off, you felt a body cover you and you knew immediately that it wasn’t Shane. 

You didn’t say a word as Daryl used his body to keep you close to the ground. You just waited for the ground to stop moving before getting your bearings. Daryl hauled you up and took off towards the blown-out window without saying a word. 

You helped with the kids as they climbed down to the ground, keeping them from the shattered glass. Then. following the others, you took off across the courtyard. Aiming your gun, you and some of the others took out Walkers that were drawn by the grenade. You all ran for the cars going as fast as you could. Entering the RV, you all hunkered down. You could see Daryl dive into his truck and Rick shouted at everyone to cover their ears. 

But then Dale and Andrea came running out of the building. You crouched down again unable to see if they made it or not and this time it _was_ Shane that held onto you. You covered your ears as a blast echoed throughout the city. The RV shook around you and when the smoke cleared and you stood up to look out the window, the CDC was gone. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reaching the Greene farm, you are only concerned about seeing Carl, but once Shane returns from his run with Otis, he is no longer the man you knew. 
> 
> Daryl finds you alone and finally says what's on his mind.

Nobody spoke as you drove. 

Daryl was ahead of the caravan on his brother’s bike, scouting out the roads while the rest of you followed in the other vehicles. Shane and Rick were talking in low voices while Carl leaned against Lori’s side. You sat at the table watching the world move past in a blur as your thoughts raced a mile a minute. 

All you could think about was what had happened between Lori and Shane. You didn’t know if those scratches were ones made from love or anger and you didn’t know which one you would prefer at this point. 

Your gaze shifted to Rick as he watched out the windshield. There was no way he didn’t know, right? Rick was smart and resourceful. If he didn’t know about Lori and Shane then he was lying to himself. You leaned back with a sigh, trying to keep your brain on a single thought when you saw Andrea watching you. You furrowed your brows at her, but she looked away almost instantly. You were sick of these people and their looks.

Suddenly, Dale stopped the RV and you heard Daryl’s bike coming closer. You finally got up and looked out the front window. It looked like a graveyard, the way the cars were spread out on the road. It would take a while for you all to clear the freeway so you took the chance to comb through the cars for supplies. 

Lori made some dumb comment about looting and you ignored her, going for the first car and popping the trunk. The rest of your group spread out as Dale headed to the roof of the RV to be on the lookout for Walkers. 

You walked through the many lanes, looking in car windows. Desiccated corpses were in almost every driver’s seat. Only a few were reanimated and you let those be for the time being. Coming across an old Toyota, you popped the trunk and found a few bags of clothes. You grabbed them and set them down next to the car. When you went to grab another bag, something grabbed at your ankle. You fell to the ground as a Walker tried to drag you under the car. 

With a swift kick to the head, you killed the creature a second time and scrambled to your feet. “You alright?” Rick asked as he came across you.

“I’m fine,” you told him. You were really getting sick and tired of saying those words. He nodded and squeezed your shoulder. But before he could continue looking through his own car, you grabbed his arm. 

“What is it?” He asked. 

“I just haven’t had time to talk to you,” you said with a shrug. He gave you a small smile. 

“Come here,” he said, grabbing you in a hug. You squeezed him back. When you let go he ruffled your hair slightly. “You know when I saw Lori and Carl, it was like everything was going to be alright again,” he began, “and then I saw you and Shane and I just…” Rick trailed off, looking at you like he always did, with the love of a brother. 

“I was worried about you too, Grimes,” you said honestly. He knocked his fist against your shoulder. 

“Thanks for helpin’ Shane get them out,” he said seriously. “I owe you a debt.” You shook your head.

“It’s what we do for family, Rick. I know you would have done the same for me.”

“I would,” he promised. “It’s been the five of us for a while now. That ain’t gonna change.”

“I hope not,” you told him. He grinned at you and then went back to his car. Turning back to your own task, you spotted Daryl a few cars over. His head was bent over as he looked through a trunk. You thought about the way his body had felt against yours and how he had placed his life above yours back in the CDC. Daryl Dixon was a whole other breed of man and you weren’t sure how you felt about it yet. 

It wasn’t long before the herd came through and you were scrambling to get somewhere safe. You ducked along a car, trying to become invisible when Shane gripped you around the waist and pulled you underneath a car with him. He pressed you to the ground, keeping you close to him as the Dead walked among the lanes. 

You gripped his arm, your nails digging into his flesh and he coiled his body around yours. You both were still as statues as shuffling feet passed your view. He rubbed soothing circles on the back of your neck and you held your breath as the foul stench reached the hot air underneath the car.

However, in that moment, the only person you could think about was Daryl. You hadn’t seen him get to safety and you knew he shouldn’t be on your mind as your boyfriend pressed his entire weight against you, but Dixon had saved your life twice now and you two had made a pact. 

You kept your head down as you waited for the herd to pass. The Walkers bumped into cars as they meandered along. You could see others of your group frozen under nearby cars as they clutched at their guns and knives. It wasn’t long until Rick whistled and gave the all-clear. However, you weren’t out of the woods yet. 

Suddenly, a cry came from under a car as Sophia crawled away from a Walker that lunged for her. You and Shane ran towards the car just to see Sophia run into the woods, Walkers on her trail. Rick ran at full speed after them as Carol cried out for her baby girl. Lori grabbed ahold of Carol, trying to soothe her as Rick searched for her. 

He was gone for a while before you start to get agitated. Grabbing one of the rifles from the back of the RV, you start heading towards the woods. As you stepped over the freeway barrier, Shane pulls on the strap of your gun, halting you. “Shane, let go,” you snapped. 

“You’re not goin’ anywhere,” he ordered. 

“Again with this?” You asked, yanking the gun back into your arms. “Rick needs help. Who knows how many more are in the woods. Rick can’t take on an entire herd by himself!”

“Stop it, you’re scaring Carol,” Shane hissed at you, grabbing your wrist and pulling you back towards the cars. You tore your wrist out of his grip. 

“Take your hands off of me, Shane Walsh,” you snarled. “I don’t know what the hell is your problem lately, but I am not going to just sit here and play babysitter. In case you forgot, I can handle myself.”

“You go into those woods and you’re not comin’ out,” he said, his gaze intense on yours. 

“You’ve never trusted me,” you said with a scoff.

“This isn’t about trust, (Y/N),” he said, “this is about you not thinking!” He yelled. You were gaining the attention of the group now. Everyone was watching you and your eyes found Daryl immediately. This time, however, he was glaring at Shane and not you. 

“I am not a damn child, Shane,” you growled in his face, “you don’t own me and you sure as _hell_ don’t get to tell me what to fucking do.” You slapped the hand he reached out towards you again and stormed off into the trees. Shane called after you, but you heard Lori call him back. 

You didn’t know where you were going. Hell, you didn’t even think you were looking for Rick and Sophia anymore. You just couldn’t be in the same space as Shane anymore. You didn’t understand him. One minute he was holding you close and kissing you and making sure you were okay and the next he was treating you like an idiot who was incapable of taking care of yourself. You noticed that he wasn’t like this with Lori and that pissed you off even more.

Moving through the trees, you kept the rifle slung over your back, using your knife to kill the odd Walker you came across. There was no point in bringing more to you when there was already a herd nearby. By the time the sun was setting, you figured you should head back. As you walked, you kept seeing something out of the corner of your eye. However, whenever you paused, it stopped as well. 

It took you a few minutes of observing to finally recognize the shape that followed parallel to you through the trees. “For a hunter, you’re not exactly stealthy,” you said through gritted teeth.

Daryl stepped out of the shadows. He had a bolt locked into his bow as he walked. “Wasn’t tryna sneak up on ya,” he said. 

“Good, ‘cause you were pretty obvious,” you said, slowing down to match his pace as you both walked back towards the group. “Thought you’d be lookin’ for Sophia.” 

“I tracked her all the way to the river,” he explained, “but it’s hard in the dark. Imma go back out in the light.” 

“Where’s Rick?” You asked. 

“Back with the others,” he said. You nodded and continued to walk in silence. You could feel his eyes on you as you climbed over fallen trees and anthills. 

“Don’t,” you warned. 

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t look at me with pity, Daryl,” you said, looking over at him.

“Wasn’t gonna,” he assured you. “Ya alright?” You sighed and turned your back on him. You were really sick of being asked that damn question.

———

The next day, Sophia was still not found. You all split up to look for her. When the church was a bust, you moved to spread out. Shane went with Rick and Carl and you stayed close to Glenn.

You liked him, he was someone you could talk to about anything without making it complicated. Sometimes he just wanted to talk about how much he missed DVDs or why some Walkers decayed faster than others. It was nice to hear his ramblings here and there. Glenn also kept your mind occupied when both Shane and Daryl were fighting to take control. 

Shane was pissing you off and if you were being honest with yourself, he had been for a while. He was just angry all the time and you just happened to be the closest one to him at any given moment. And on the opposite side of the coin was Daryl. His constant hovering was driving you insane. It was as if he was keeping his eye on you so you wouldn’t screw up or get yourself killed. 

That thought alone made you want to scream. You used the anger on the Walkers that attacked the group as you searched for Sophia. Lori kept trying to keep Carol calm but so far it wasn’t really working. You all searched for hours, but nothing was found, not even with Daryl at the helm of the search.

You could tell he was getting frustrated and his mood was affecting everybody else’s. A part of you wanted to talk to him, tell him to get a grip for Carol’s sake, but every time you looked at him, he avoided your eyes which only confused you further. 

By the time it started to get dark, the Walkers seemed to get more frequent. When one snuck up on Andrea, she went down hard. You and Daryl went to take care of it when all of a sudden a horse came barreling through the woods. A young woman wielding a baseball bat rode right for the Walker, smashing it on the head as it attacked Andrea.

“Lori? Lori Grimes?” The woman yelled, looking at the group. Lori stepped forward.

“I’m Lori Grimes,” she said.

“Rick sent me, you gotta come now,” the woman said. “There’s been an accident, Carl’s been shot. He’s still alive, but you gotta come now.” Your heart stopped at the words. Lori looked at you and you didn’t hesitate. 

“Lori, go!” You urged, pushing her forward despite Daryl’s warning.

“There’s a farm about two miles back,” the woman on the horse said, “mailbox says Greene.” Without another word, she snapped the reigns and took off back towards where she came from as Lori held onto her tight. This time, you looked right at Daryl, your eyes wide. 

“Get back to the cars now!” Daryl ordered and nobody argued with him. You all headed back to the freeway where you met T-Dog and Dale. After explaining what happened, everyone got moving. Dale, Andrea, and Carol were going to stay back to see if Sophia came back on her own and while you wanted to as well, you had to see Carl. He was all that mattered right now.

You gathered up any weapons you could find as well as anything else you had managed to scavenge from the car graveyard. After packing it all in the car, you went to get the RV when Daryl stepped in front of you. “Bike’s faster,” was all he said.

“Sophia?” You asked. 

“They’ll keep an eye out, let me get you to him,” Daryl said, his tone unwavering. You didn’t hesitate any longer as you followed him to the Harley. Daryl straddled the bike, kick-starting it immediately. You climbed on behind him, unsure of where to place your hands. He reached around and tugged your arms to wrap around his waist. “Hold on,” he said over the roar and peeled away from the cars, weaving between them easily. 

You hid your face in his back. You hadn’t been on the back of a bike for a while. Not since college and last time helmets and boots had been involved. However, you trusted Daryl not to crash as he sped towards the turn-off the woman mentioned. When he hit a sharp turn, leaning into it, you tightened your hold on his abdomen. 

Daryl hit the dirt path causing the bike to jump and you gritted your teeth at the rumble below you, but as you flew towards a farmhouse in the distance, you allowed yourself to feel the wind through your hair for just a few seconds. You relaxed your hands around Daryl and felt him lean back against you slightly. 

Daryl slowed the bike as he came upon the house. The warm light that escaped from the many windows was odd considering the circumstances. Climbing off the bike, Daryl kept you steady as you got your legs underneath you again. 

Just then, the front door opened and Rick came walking out. You could see blood splashed on his sheriff’s uniform. He looked exhausted as he came towards you. You wasted no time in grabbing him in your arms. He held onto you with everything he had. Pulling back, you placed your hands on the sides of his face. 

“How is he?” you asked. 

“He’s unconscious,” he told you, “Herschel, the man who owns this place, he needs to operate.” 

“So why isn’t he doin’ it?” you asked, glancing between Rick and Daryl who had inched closer to hear about the boy. 

“He needs supplies, a respirator,” Rick explained. “Shane, he went with the man who…” Rick trailed off, “Shane and Otis went to get the supplies from a local high school.” 

“He’s out there?” you asked, pointing towards the highway. 

“He’s gonna be fine,” Rick said, his voice slightly breaking. Sighing, you took his hand. 

“So is Carl,” you said to him. “You gotta be strong for him, Grimes. Don’t lose hope, you never have before.”

“He’s my boy…” Rick said, stepping back towards you as he headed back inside. 

“Rick,” Daryl called, causing Grimes to look back. “We’re here,” he said. Rick looked at Daryl as if it was the first time, seeing a new side of the redneck. 

“Thanks, man,” Rick said and disappeared back into the house. You could feel Daryl’s presence as it crawled up the back of your neck. You were getting used to him always being there and you now found yourself gravitating towards him as well. However, the thought of Shane out there came back full force and you had to sit down. 

You sat on the steps of the porch, trying to keep your thoughts away from whatever was happening back inside the farmhouse. Your eyes scanned the vacant horizon as you moved over to give Daryl room as he joined you on the stairs. “I can’t be in there right now,” you told him. 

“I know,” he said, staring at his boots. 

“He could die,” you said and then realized you didn’t know who you were referring to at that moment. 

“They’re both gonna be fine,” Daryl said, easily reading you. You looked at him in the darkness and tried to read him for once. “What?” he asked. 

“I’m just tryin’ to figure you out,” you told him honestly. 

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” you said, scanning his rugged features. You both settled into a tense silence after that. You could hear movement behind you in the house as well as Lori’s voice as she spoke to someone. Looking out across the farm, you couldn’t help but feel envious. The Greene farm looked nearly untouched. Bodies didn’t litter the ground and the air actually smelled fresh for once. You could only think about how much longer it would last before the Dead decided to take it. It always happened no matter where you were. Nothing was forever. 

“Carl’s a strong kid,” Daryl said all of a sudden. You looked over at him with a furrowed brow. “Just sayin’.”

“Thanks,” you said, knocking his knee with yours. “I should have gone with them,” you said, looking back down at the gravel. 

“Wasn’t yer fault,” Daryl said. 

“I know, but maybe I could have seen Otis or… I don’t know. All I do know is that if that kid dies, I wouldn’t be able to handle it.” You felt Daryl take your hand in his, his calloused fingers brushing against yours. His touch was like electricity and it made you pull away. You stood, stepping back. “At least we know where Carl is,” you said, not looking at him. “Sophia is still missing.” Daryl sighed and got to his feet. 

“I know,” he said, looking at the woods. “I’m gonna go for a walk, shine a light, give her somethin’ to look at.” You could see that he was wanting to get away from you quickly. You didn’t want him to think that you didn’t want him there, but with Shane gone and Carl lying in a bed, it was too much too fast. Instead of asking him to stay, you pulled your gun from your belt and handed it to him. 

“Here, it has a full clip,” you told him. He took the piece and tucked it in his own waistband. “Be careful, okay?” Daryl nodded. 

“Be back soon,” he said and then turned and walked away from you. You watched him for as long as you could before he slipped back into the darkness. Collapsing back onto the stairs, you buried your head into your hands. 

“He’s worried about you.” You jumped at the sudden voice. The woman from the woods sat in a chair in the darkness of the porch. Standing up, you took the place on the railing across him her. “Didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” she said guiltily. 

“It’s fine, it is your house,” you said. She smiled softly. 

“I’m Maggie Greene,” she said, offering her hand. You shook it. 

“(Y/N) (Y/L/N),” you responded. “And what makes you think he’s worried about me?” 

Maggie shrugged as she leaned back in her chair. “Men like that don’t show much emotion, but he does for you.”

“You don’t even know him,” you pointed out. 

“Clearly,” you sighed. “Daryl is just…well he’s Daryl.” 

“No, but I can tell he knows _you_ , sees somethin’ in you. I’m quite observant,” Maggie said with a smile. 

“Were you together before all of this?” she asked and you started shaking your head. 

“Daryl? No, god, we’re not… I’m with Shane,” you clarified as you glanced around as if you were afraid Shane would sneak up on you. 

“Oh, the dark-haired man?” she asked and you nodded. “He’s…intense.” 

“Can’t argue with that,” you sighed and then got some of your courage back. “Can I ask ya somethin’, Maggie?” She nodded, leaning forward. “When do you think we can stop blaming the new world for people’s actions?” 

“What do you mean?” she asked. 

“It’s just…I get that this world is screwin’ with people and we are all trying to deal with it in our way, but when does it become just an excuse to be a total asshole?” Maggie thought about it for a moment, weighing your words. 

“I think,” she began, “that if you don’t call them out on it, they’ll just keep using it as an excuse. Just cause the world turned for the worse, doesn’t mean that we as people have to.” Maggie’s words struck you like a train. You sat back on the railing, pulling up your right leg to your chest as you contemplated everything she had said and you knew then that she was right.

“Thanks, Maggie.”

——

As soon as Glenn and T-Dog had shown up and visited Carl, you went into the house to see the boy. As T-Dog got his arm looked at, you knocked softly in the doorway of the bedroom. Lori looked up at you with tears in her eyes as she clutched to her husband. When you finally looked at the bed, your heart broke.

Carl was pale as the sheets he lay on. A bloodied bandage was pressed to his stomach and a slick sheen of sweat glistened on his brow. “Is he stable?” you asked. 

“For now,” an older man said as he came into the room behind you. You figured this was Herschel. “But if Shane and Otis don’t come back soon, I don’t know what else to do besides operate on him like this.”

“I thought you needed the respirator,” you said, remembering what Rick had said. 

“I do,” Herschel said, “but there is a timeline here and if I have to go in for the rest of the pieces, I’m going to have to do it regardless of the respirator.”

“That could kill him,” Rick said from his spot besides Lori. 

“Not doing anything could also kill your boy,” Herschel told him. “I am running out of ideas here.” You wanted to ask what you could to help when suddenly headlights lit up the front yard. 

“They’re back,” you said. Rick moved, running from the room with you right on his heels. Exiting out onto the porch, you breathed a sigh of relief as Shane came out of the truck, but then you noticed he was alone. Herschel came out behind you. 

“Otis?” he asked Shane who handed Rick the bags of supplies. Shane just shook his head. “Nobody tells Patricia until after the surgery, I’m gonna need her help.” You all agreed to keep the new information to yourselves as Herschel ran back inside. Rick grabbed Shane in a hug. 

“Thank you, brother,” Rick said to him before following Herschel into the house. You watched as Shane leaned against the hood of the truck. There was blood on his clothes and his hands seemed to be shaking. Approaching him, you were careful, afraid you’d push him too far. 

“Shane?” you asked, getting into his line of sight. “You alright?” he looked down at you and you could see a haunted look in his dark eyes. That look reminded you of when he had come for you after going to find Rick at the hospital. Shane had told you Rick was dead and that you had to move so you could go find Lori and Carl. It was if a ghost was hovering over his shoulder and it made you very uneasy. “Shane?” you tried again. Tilting his head, he looked down the side of your neck and gritted his teeth. 

You stayed outside, making sure you were out of the way. 

“You have motorcycle grease on your neck,” Shane growled as he pushed past you. You scrubbed at the spot furiously. When you looked back towards the porch, you caught Maggie looking at you in the doorway of the house. She grimaced before disappearing back towards the room where Carl lay in order to help her father.

——-

It was pure chaos in that room and you didn’t want to be a burden. Shane was ignoring you, always near the Grimes family and all they saw was their best friend looking out for them and their son. But you knew the truth: Shane just wanted Lori to see him as some kind of hero. 

The rest of the farmhouse inhabitants were milling around, making sure Herschel had everything he needed. You found out he had two more kids, Beth and Sean. They were keeping to themselves just as you were and everybody was just waiting for news.

You sat on the porch railing, looking out over the land as you waited. The cool air offered some comfort and with every breeze that rustled the leaves, it made you relax a bit further. Glenn came out to check on you once, but you noticed his clear interest in the eldest Greene daughter and pushed him towards Maggie with a smile. 

Maggie was clearly amused by Glenn, but she was kind to him and talked with him as they sat on the porch. T-Dog had gotten stitched up and everything was starting to get a little too still. It was setting you on edge. You jumped down from the railing and started to pace.

You had nearly burned a hole in the grass by the time Rick exited back on the porch. “He’s gonna be fine,” he told you and you nearly fell to the ground in relief. “Herschel has offered us to stay here until Carl is better and well enough to travel.” 

“Carl’s okay,” you repeated, more to yourself than him. Rick nodded, smiling softly. 

“Thanks to Shane and Otis,” Rick said, “Herschel is telling Patricia now,” he said more solemn now. You nodded and then Rick turned to go. You wanted to stop him and ask him about Shane, but you figured Grimes had enough to deal with right now, and bringing up your love life concerns was not what mattered at the moment. 

You never went back inside after that. Maggie came out a bit later and gave you a blanket and something to eat. You couldn’t believe that even amidst the Apocalypse, southern hospitality still rang true. You didn’t remember when you had fallen asleep in one of the chairs, but when you woke, the sun was creeping over the treetops. There was another blanket on you and you figured Maggie had snuck outside again while you were passed out. That put a small smile on your face. You also noticed that The RV was parked just down the road from the house as well as the other cars and tents were being pitched. 

Dale was clearly visible from the roof of the RV as he held the rifle and watched for Walkers. Glenn was with him, enjoying the sunrise. You scanned the grounds for the others, but only managed to see Andrea sulking next to the RV and Maggie walking the farm with a basket in her arms. Standing up, you let your joints pop and muscles stretch as you pulled your arms above your head. You headed inside when you ran into Shane.

You had to do a double-take at your boyfriend as you stared at his freshly shaven head. “That’s new…” you said, tilting your head. He shrugged.

“Was sick of cleaning the blood out of it,” He grumbled. You nodded slowly. 

“How’s Carl?” you asked. 

“Still stable,” he said looking back into the kitchen where Lori was as she talked to Patricia.

“How are you?” you asked, gaining his attention once again. Shane looked at you and then rubbed the top of his head. 

“Stop worryin’ about me, (Y/N), I’m fine,” he said, shutting down the conversation. 

“Right, you’re always fine,” you said, turning and walking out the door. This time, Shane followed you. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, catching up to you. You stopped in the middle of the yard, fisting your hands in the fabric of the shirt you wore. You whirled around and jabbed your finger in the middle of his chest. 

“Why don’t you tell me, Walsh?” you spat. “Hell, why don’t you say more than five syllables to me, huh?” Shane shook his head at you as if you were crazy. Out of the corner of your eye, you finally spotted Daryl. He was looking between you and your boyfriend as you argued and he wasn’t the only one. The others from your group noticed the tension and even Rick and Lori appeared on the porch. “Tell me why you’ve been actin’ so different lately.”

“Me? I have been the same, (Y/N), you’re the one always off in your damn head like you can’t be bothered to look around and see what’s actually happening in the world. Newsflash sweetheart, the world ended!” Shane hollered back. 

“Do not patronize me, Shane Walsh,” you threatened, “I am well aware of what is going on,” You laughed at your own words, “you’d be surprised about how much I realize.” Shane narrowed his eyes at you. 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he said, his voice dangerously low. He leaned toward you, his eyes darker and his shoulders rigid, but you didn’t back down. You took a step closer to him, nearly toe to toe. 

“What?” you whispered, “You don’t think I don’t know about the way you undress her with your eyes or how you’re just waiting for a Walker to take him out so Lori can be yours?” you spat, not tearing your eyes away from his. “ _Newsflash_ , Lori is never going to leave him, Shane.” You paused for second before adding, “Not even if you play hero to her little boy.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he growled, his fists balling at his sides. Shane had never been violent with you and you didn’t think he would ever hit you, but you could practically feel the anger rolling off of him. 

“What really happened to Otis?” you asked, narrowing your eyes. Shane bared his teeth at you and you shook your head with a quick laugh. “You’ve truly lost it, Walsh.” You took a step back, still shaking your head. 

“You’re a real bitch, you know that!” he said as you retreated. You heard Lori call out to Shane at his words, but you both ignored her.

“Go screw yourself, Shane!” you responded and turned and walked away. Grabbing a gun from the car, you told Glenn you were going to go look for Sophia and he didn’t argue after seeing and hearing what had just happened. 

You kept walking until you were well into the woods and all you wanted to do was scream or kill something. You searched for Walkers, but none came your way. You lashed out, kicking out a rotting root and shattering it across the dying land. Shane had officially become someone you didn’t recognize. It was as if he had decided to harden along with the world, but instead of becoming hard like stone, he became sharp and dangerous like glass. 

You let out a yell of frustration as you clutched at sides of your head. The forest was quiet around you and it only worsened your mood. You kept walking until your feet hurt and sweat poured down your back. You couldn’t keep the look on Shane’s face from the night before out of your mind. He didn’t look to be in shock or guilty, he looked…vindicated and it terrified you. The thought alone scared you, but you couldn’t help yourself to think that Otis’ death wasn’t an accident.

Leaning against a nearby tree, you let that thought roll through your head and tried to keep yourself calm. When you heard footsteps coming towards you, you didn’t need to guess who it was. “Leave me alone, Daryl,” you spat through gritted teeth. He came into view as he stepped around a tree. His bow was on his back and he looked at you with worry. You couldn’t take it anymore. You marched towards him and pushed him back, your palms shoving against his chest. “Stop it!” you yelled. “Stop with all the looks and the watchin’ and the followin’! I’ve had it!” you cried. 

Daryl didn’t leave. He stood his ground as you yelled at him. “What’s wrong?” he asked after you stopped screaming. You pushed him back again and started pacing just as you had the night before. 

_“What’s wrong?”_ you asked, incredulously. “Look around, Daryl! We are living in actual hell! People come back from the dead and try to eat us and you want to know what is wrong? God! You are worse than Shane!” 

“Don’t!” he yelled, pointing a finger at you. “Don’t ya say that to me.” You laughed and shook your head, unable to think clearly. 

“What the hell do you want from me?” you asked, waving your hands between the two of you. “Ever since I met you, you’ve been lookin’ at me like I’m a bomb ready to go off or that I’m some kind of loser that can’t seem to handle herself. Well, guess what, Dixon, you ain’t the first man to look at me like that.” 

“It always comes back to him, don’t it?” Daryl said, his voice rising as well. “Will ya shut about Shane for one damn second, girl?” he asked, moving closer to you. 

“Why the hell does it matter to you? It’s none of your goddamn business, Daryl!” He let out a frustrated growl, throwing his bow down. 

“I know you ain’t in love with him!” he thundered. You took a step back at his words, watching the way he approached you. 

“You don’t know me,” you said slowly. “And you don’t know anything about Shane and me.” 

“I know that he treats ya like yer his property,” Daryl continued, “He likes to kiss on ya and keep ya close, but then a second later he has his hands all over Lori.” You started to shake your head, but he stopped you. “Everybody knows, (Y/N), hell, Rick probably does too. Shane has been stringin’ ya along since the start and probably even before the damn Turn. Why the hell are ya even with him still?” Daryl stopped only about a foot away from you, staring you down. “I see the way he glares at ya whenever ya talk to me or Glenn or even Rick,” he went on, “Shane is usin’ ya and yer lettin’ him.”

“You’re wrong,” you whispered, staring into his blue eyes. Daryl converged on you, backing you up until your back hit the tree trunk behind you. His arms created a cage between the tree and him.

“No, ‘m not,” he muttered as he trapped you. “He doesn’t love ya, (Y/N). Least not anymore.” Daryl leaned in closer, bending his arms so his chest hovered over yours. 

“Why did you follow me out here?” you asked, breathing heavily as you felt his body heat. 

“Ya need to know that not every man is like Shane Walsh,” Daryl whispered, his breath cascading over your lips. You didn’t miss the disgusted tone he had when saying Shane’s name.

“No?” you asked and he shook his head. 

“Nah, there are better men. Men that won’t treat ya like a damn prize to be won or some kind of second choice.” Daryl lifted one of his hands and used his fingers to tip your head back so you could look fully into his eyes. 

“Men like you?” you asked, nearly breathless. Daryl’s hand wrapped around the back of your neck, the other going to your waist. 

“Damn right,” he growled before leaning down and pressing his lips to yours. You reacted immediately. Your hands went around his neck, pulling yourself closer to him. Daryl pressed you against the tree, running his hands down your sides as you kissed him back fervently. Every neuron in your body was on fire as Daryl Dixon kissed you. Your hands found their way into his hair, slightly tugging on it and he reacted strongly, pressing himself tighter against you. 

Pulling back for a second, you looked into his eyes as the adrenaline rushed through you. Seeing the lust and eagerness behind those beautiful blue eyes had you pulling him back to you. Daryl used his tongue to part your lips and you sighed into his mouth. Every thought you had had about the archer came rushing back as he devoured your lips. 

Every glance, every conversation, every time he put himself in harm’s way to protect you, it was all flashing through your head like an old movie. You had never been kissed like this before. Not even when Shane and you had first started dating. It was all passion and pure need. Daryl moved from your lips down to your neck, placing kisses along the spot that Shane had pointed out the night before. You sighed as he bit lightly on your skin. 

“Those looks,” you breathed as he continued across your throat, “they weren’t because you thought I was useless,” you realized, holding him tighter against you. Daryl pulled back slightly, looking into your eyes with a heavy look in his own.

“Finally, ya got somethin’ right, girl,” he said. “Never thought you anythin’ but perfect. He never deserved ya.” You leaned back, resting your head against the trunk as you looked at him. Your hands came up and caressed his cheeks. He leaned into your touch and the look of pure content on his face sent a rush through your chest. 

“Daryl Dixon,” you whispered, “you really are a different breed of man.” Daryl turned his face in your hand and kissed your palm. He then slid his hands around your waist, holding you to him. 

“The only kind I need to be is yours,” he said, nudging your nose with his. You leaned in and kissed him greedily, wanting to get your fill of the man before you had to go back to camp.

“Everything is so complicated,” you said when you pulled back again. Daryl rested his forehead against yours. 

“I know, but ya can’t tell me that this isn’t real,” he said and you caught a slight tone of worry in his voice. You shook your head. 

“Pretty sure you had me wrapped around your finger the second you walked into camp that day with your brother,” you admitted and it was true. You had tried to ignore his glances and the way he looked at you when he thought you didn’t notice. Because in truth, you were watching him as much as he was watching you.

“Ya never said anythin’,” he whispered. 

“You know why,” you said, with a sigh. Daryl shook his head, tightening his grip on you. 

“Nah, ya don’t have to worry ‘bout Walsh anymore,” he said, looking at you with fire in his eyes. “Yer stayin’ with me from now on.”

“Is that so?” you asked with a small smile. He nodded.

“Mmhmm, I ain’t lettin’ ya go now,” he said, nuzzling your neck. You laughed as his hair tickled your chin, but didn’t push him away. 

“This is going to get messy, you know?” you said. “Shane isn’t going to like this.” Daryl shrugged. 

“I ain’t afraid of Walsh,” Daryl said. “I ignored his shit for too long. Not anymore.” 

“I think he killed Otis,” you blurted out suddenly. Daryl sighed and then surprised you by nodding. 

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” he said, his hand lightly trailing down your spine. 

“He’s startin’ to scare me,” you admitted and it was the first time you had said it out loud. 

“I know,” Daryl whispered. “Imma talk to Rick soon, see if he’s noticed it.”

“Then what?”

“Then we’ll figure it out, alright?” he said. You nodded and wrapped your arms back around him, resting your head on his chest. Daryl kissed the top of your head as you held each other. 

“Hey, Daryl?” you asked into his chest.

“Hmm?” 

“Never shave your head.” Daryl chuckled as you broke the tension. He kissed you again, savoring the taste of your lips. When he pulled away, his teeth grabbed onto your bottom lip as he stared into your eyes. 

“Never.” 


End file.
